The Art of Medicine: A heads up

I step into the exam room to find a 17-year-old boy sitting on the examination table. His father reclines in the chair by the wall. I extend a hand to each in greeting, then turn to the boy. “I understand you fell off your bike. When did this happen?” more»

Interested readers can now access my latest Art of Medicine column — A heads up — recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of PAs.

Please note that all of my previously published Art of Medicine pieces can now be accessed here.

The Art of Medicine: Sometimes things fall apart

The baby on my Friday afternoon schedule is now 3 months old. He missed his 2-month well-child check because his health insurance had lapsed. He’s had a total weight gain of 8 oz (230 g) in 2 months. Infants usually gain that much weight in 1 week. Clearly, something is not right. more»

Interested readers can now access my latest Art of Medicine column — Sometimes things fall apart — recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of PAs.

Please note that all of my previously published Art of Medicine pieces can now be accessed here.

The Art of Medicine: A slap in the face

Some wounds heal in a matter of days; others may take decades, perhaps even a lifetime. more»

Interested readers can now access my latest Art of Medicine column — A slap in the face — recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of PAs.

Please note that all of my previously published Art of Medicine pieces can now be accessed here.

The Art of Medicine: He slows us down, and that’s a good thing

For the clinician practicing pediatrics in New England, summertime means being inundated with an unrelenting stretch of physical examinations—for camp, for sports, for school, for college. Most kids are healthy; most physical examinations are straightforward. Every once in a while, I see a special needs child, and those visits usually require me to slow down and readjust the speed at which I plow through my daily schedule. more»

Interested readers can now access my latest Art of Medicine column — He slows us down, and that’s a good thing — recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of PAs.

Please note that all of my previously published Art of Medicine pieces can now be accessed here.

The Art of Medicine: Medicine in the time of the pandemic

Medicine has morphed into a profit-driven business. Like attorneys, we clinicians are directed to bill for our services at every opportunity. more»

Interested readers can now access my latest Art of Medicine column — Medicine in the time of the pandemic — recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of PAs.

Please note that all of my previously published Art of Medicine pieces can now be accessed here.

The Art of Medicine — You never know when the plague will strike

Usually this mother greets me with a smile. There is no smile today. Her eye contact is fleeting; her sentences clipped and short—a marked difference from the office visit yesterday, when she came in with her sick daughter. more»

Interested readers can now access my latest Art of Medicine column — You never know when the plague will strike — recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of PAs.

Please note that all of my previously published Art of Medicine pieces can now be accessed here.

The Art of Medicine — Touchstone: A heart to heart encounter

This is the first time I’ve seen this patient; I’m thankful that I took a few moments to review the problem list before I stepped into the examination room. more»

Interested readers can now access my latest Art of Medicine column — Touchstone: A heart to heart encounter — recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Please note that all of my previously published Art of Medicine pieces can now be accessed here.

The Art of Medicine — Savoring the moment

“Your first patient of the day is ready in Room 11—a 21-year-old in for his yearly exam,” the nurse says. “He’s dropped his weight by 50 pounds over the past 12 months, down to 196.”

I look up from the news article on self-care splayed open on my desk. Perhaps I might learn something from this patient about how he managed his weight loss, I muse, as I rise from my chair and head down the back hallway. more»

Interested readers can now access my latest Art of Medicine column — Savoring the moment — recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Please note that all of my previously published Art of Medicine pieces can now be accessed here.

The Art of Medicine — His song

The nurse has adjusted the ventilation mask on the infant’s face. Mist leaks from the mask as the baby reclines contently in the mother’s lap. Soft music plays from her smart phone next to the child’s ear. “Mom says he always calms right down with this tune,” the nurse says. more»

Interested readers can now access my latest Art of Medicine column — His song — recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Please note that all of my previously published Art of Medicine pieces can now be accessed here.

The Art of Medicine — Care in the time of COVID

“Have we got any issues, George?” his mother says. “Have we?” She turns to me. “No, we haven’t got any issues. We are so done with COVID-19,” she says. “So done.” more»

Interested readers can now access my latest Art of Medicine column — Care in the time of COVID — recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Please note that all of my previously published Art of Medicine pieces can now be accessed here.